Buechele Headlines All-Big 12 First Team

May 25, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Sophomore third baseman Garrett Buechele earned his first All-Big 12 first team selection as the all-conference team was announced at a media luncheon in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. The teams were voted on by the league's coaches.

Buechele, who was also named The Oklahoman's Big 12 Player of the Year on Tuesday, was selected as a second team honoree in 2009 when he was tabbed the Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

In 2010, the Arlington, Texas, native has hit safely in all but nine games and in 26 of the last 28 to finish the regular season. He leads OU in batting average (.387), hits (82), doubles (15), runs (47) and RBIs (59) and ranks second in homers with 13. He ranks in the top 10 in six Big 12 statistics (batting average, homers, hits, RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage) and was recently named the conference's last player of the week of the season.

The Sooners also placed two members on the second team, junior right-hander Zach Neal and freshman utility player Jack Mayfield.

Neal finished his first regular season in the Big 12 with an 8-1 record, including six wins in conference play as the Sooners' Friday night starter. Mayfield, who recently took over a weekend spot in the pitching rotation, has a 4-0 record and a 2.13 ERA, while also making several appearances in the OU lineup as an infielder/designated hitter.

In addition, senior designated hitter Ross Hubbard (.318, 4 HR, 28 RBI), sophomore first baseman Cameron Seitzer (.331, 14 HR, 51 RBI) and freshman outfielder Max White (.321, 14 HR, 39 RBI) were honorable mentions. Seitzer was also named to The Oklahoman's All-Big 12 first team.

Besides Buechele, each Sooner was being honored on the coaches' team for the first time in their careers.

The six honorees comes one season removed from the seven that were named to the first and second teams in 2009, a program best. OU lost nine members of that 2009 team, which won 43 games and hosted a NCAA Regional with the nation's No. 7 national seed, to the MLB Draft.

Despite starting six sophomores and one freshman in the field this season, OU has two more regular season wins that last year with 42, and has a chance to equal the 2009 win total as the Big 12 Championship begins in Oklahoma City this week.

The No. 12 Sooners (42-14, 15-10) begin their run for a Big 12 Championship on Wednesday, May 26 against Kansas. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m. at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Buechele Headlines All-Big 12 First Team

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors